Cathal Costello Costello
Send me sweet love letters of Dhamma… DMs open
Views: 6
Category: Wat and center discriptions
Trips to wat and centers
-
Temple/Wat recommendation Chiang Mai – Thailand
Bhikku Kittipuñño (Daniel van den Brink)
Hi fellow dhamma enthusiasts 🙂
My name is Kittipuñño bhikku. Two years ago I started my dhamma journey in Asia. I had a strong interest in staying somewhere long term. but it proved quite difficult to find a temple that was suitable for a westerner used to the comfort of life in the Netherlands. In Thailand the climate is much hotter, the food the locals eat is much spicier, there is the language barrier and plenty of nights were spent sleeping on the floor or thin mats. I am making this post to make dhamma practitioners aware of my recent residence; wat tam doi toan.Wat Tam Doi Toan
Wat Tam Doi Toan is open to all practitioners who want to immerse themselves into the dhamma, there are no costs but donations are accepted. You can practice under guidance of the abbot with 40 years of experience or using your own technique. We ask all interested to first join a 7 day course that is held each month. Anyone serious about their practice is generally accepted to stay after the course with permission from the abbot. In the unlikely event that you’re not allowed to stay, there are a lot of other good temples you can stay nearby. We will help you find a comfortable temple to stay in any case.Life at wat tam doi toan
The temple features a beautiful cave meditation hall, main Dhamma hall with two floors seperating men and women.two freshly cooked vegetarian meals a day with a lot of ingredients coming from our organic veggie garden. The food is very suitable for westerners, not too spicy and quite often we have things like pizza or croissants.
The climate here is very comfortable (not too hot) as we’re located In the mountains outside the city.
Your sleeping place (called kuti in Pali) is simple but clean. You will stay in a dormitory although sometimes there are secluded kuti’s available too, especially for those staying long term. Hot water is generally available for the female dorm but not in the male dorm.
In the surrounding of the temple there are waterfalls, forests, river and mountain hiking trails and a lot of elephants. All in walking distance! You can explore this in your free time. The views are amazing as I will show in the photo’s.
How to get to Wat Tam Doi Toan
See; https://www.vimuttidhamma.netPhoto’s see
https://maps.app.goo.gl/P1VeuC1B1ccA3v4Z7?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy
Visa
Anyone wanting to stay long term we recommend to get a visa at hand2hand self defense school. Google it for more information. You can also do visa runs.Schedule
Outside the course the schedule is very relaxed. You have plenty of time to enjoy your practice!
6:30 breakfast
11:00 lunch
16:00-16:40 sweeping the temple groundsOrdaining
While ordaining at Wat Tam Doi Toan is not possible, I have a lot of knowledge about how to do this in Thailand. Reach out to me if you need information. You can also get a monk visa in perpetuity this way.Views: 410
-
Wat Buddha Manodham – an oasis of Metta
https://m.facebook.com/watbuddhamanodham
Last Thursday I once again had the privilege of visiting Wat Buddha Manodham in Chickamauga, GA. Over the years I have known Bhante Prasasouk, there is always the glow on his face of genuine Metta and Contentment that can’t be hidden. Not only have I been allowed to practice and take refuge on the grounds of the Wat, but I have been welcomed in to give Dana and assist in any way possible. I have seen others who sought refuge at the Wat treated with the same warmth, acceptance, and generosity.
This week the monks were preparing for an upcoming event (as well as the upcoming Laotion New Year) and I was allowed to assist in some of the construction inside the Wat, and found that Metta transcends language barriers as I was treated with kindness even though my excitement for the Dhamma can overwealm my speech at times. Bhante has always showed incredible Patience and a recognition that my Desire to practice Lord Buddha’s Dhamma and train the mind in the laylife is Sincere. He has always been extremely direct in correcting my delusion based misconceptions whenever he has caught me speaking them out loud, yet he has done so with a gentle grace and skill i have rarely encountered outside ordained Sangha.
Every one of my handful of visits so far to the Wat has been an inspiration to the practice, and i will visit whenever it is within my means to do so and Bhante or Ajahn say that i am welcome.
The fact that there are monks practicing the Buddha’s Noble 8-fold is undenyable in every encounter with Bhante Joseph Prasasouk. He has not only had time to accept Dana and listen to me pour out my emotions in times of grief when I was having difficulties. He responded with loving kindness and nurturing and was more than willing to listen without judgment, even when I was caught in restlessness and worry. This is generosity of the highest nature, and it stuck with me for years. What i continue to be grateful and amazed about, is the fact that Bhante can be so calm and strong, yet without the slightest shred of superiority in his tone, face or delivery. He never places himself in a position of power over, he is there to empower others, and there is no doubt. This is the kind of Good Friend that the Lord Buddha told Ananda was the Whole of the Holy life. A good friend supports you, not your Delusion.
Whenever I do give Dana, Bhante allows me to hit the gong myself, and the experience of taking refuge and chanting the Vandana at the Wat is a source of Viriya and Saddha (energy and faith) for the practice here. It’s always worth visiting ordained Sangha who are pracing under the protection of dhamma vinaya. The reason why is because the Virtue they have developed is impossible to miss as it shows in everything they do, say, and in their very face. It’s impossible to hide the kindness that radiates from every direction. If you catch yourself wondering what the fruit of good practice looks like, just go hang out with those who have been living Dhamma Vinaya for years. It will be a benefit to your Practice in ways you can’t imagine. It was truly refreshing to hear Bhante say that in the Laos tradition, taking care of family and our elderly was part of the practice of virtue.
On more than one occasion other laypeople have stopped by the Wat for advice while i was visiting, often on their first encounter with any Buddhist tradition. They were treated with warmth and acceptance by the monks.
Wat Buddha Manodham, in my experience is an oasis of sanity, generosity and loving kindness in the deep south.
Views: 45
